Entire Chimney Removal

[Click4]

Hi,

Planning on removing an entire chimney.

Can’t seem to get any clear answer online, some say yes and some say no in regards to building notification and approval.

I know if only part of the chimney stack is removed it requires building notification and approval so that they can ensure the remaining portion is correctly and adequately structurally supported.

But when removing entire chimney from roof to floor level I am finding conflicting information, and in one post I saw somebody was told initially yes by building control then they changed their mind and said no... so I’m unsure.


Thanks

 

[blup]

Pretty sure it needs BR approval from the ventilation aspect, if you take it inside the roof or just reduce the height: maybe also from the structural perspective, I don't know.

BCO's are generally a helpful lot (IMExperience) so a phone call might do it, but keep a note of what is said if they say no approvals are required.

Blup

 

[^woody^]

It's always yes. Best avoid reading any more things from those places that stated otherwise.

And check if planning permission and a Party Wall Agreement is required.

 

[Click4]

Thanks, will try and make more enquiries.

Not leaving any of the chimney behind so structural side of things should be ok. As there isn’t anything left which requires support.

Party wall also shouldn’t apply, there is a party wall but there is the party wall, then about a 1.5 gap where a galley type kitchen is presently located.

Then the chimney, then other side the lounge / diner.

So want to remove chimney so we can incorporate the kitchen into dining room as the size of the kitchen presently is so pitiful.

But as it’s part of refurbishing the house and all the floor insulation and roof insulation and ceilings are being done may as well take whole thing out rather than half of it.

Will ask building control, got a long list of notifications to do with them, lol floor insulation, roof insulation, windows, electrical require, outside drains etc but didn’t want to do chimney unnecessarily when I saw a post where even they didn’t know if they needed notification or not... the told the person initially they needed to notify, then when the person queried about how they started talking about the roof as part of it they then double checked and came back saying no didn’t need notifying as nothing structural. So just thought I would try and get some opinions first.

Ventilation should be ok as there is still a 2nd chimney which is being left in tact with a vent, also going to ventilate the loft space when I do the soffits.

Floor is suspended so that has ventilation, and will also be adding kitchen and bathroom ventilation so ventilation should be as good as if not a bit better than it is now. Hopefully.

 

[tony1851]

If you are infilling the floor or ceiling where the chimney breast was, it will be structural work and so would need approval.

 

[Leofric]

As others say, structural alterations require building regulations approval, and as you are doing other work covered by bldg. regs are you going to apply for approval by submitting an application ?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You definitely need someone competent to check the structural implications- chimney breasts also serve to buttress the wall they're attached to. SE would be favourite, they have liability cover (unlike BCOs)

 

[Leofric]

BCO's aren't meant to do the design on building work, a structural engineer is obviously the person to use for advice on structural alterations and prepare structural calculations as necessary. An architect or architectural technician is the person to use for advice on other building regulations related matters.

 

[Click4]

Will be doing a building notification for the other work so will include chimney on it.

It isn’t serving as a buttress as chimney isn’t against a wall

Can’t really tell from the photo but around the back is a 1.5m gap or thereabouts.

but will be sure to consult them and ask about notifying it.

It’s a bungalow.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Will be doing a building notification for the other work so will include chimney on it.

It isn’t serving as a buttress as chimney isn’t against a wall

Can’t really tell from the photo but around the back is a 1.5m gap or thereabouts.

but will be sure to consult them and ask about notifying it.

It’s a bungalow.

Ah well that's a whole different kettle of fish. Only issue you're really facing is how much of the roof load and maybe ceiling loads are being carried by that stack- won't be a lot but will be more than nothing. SE job but not a massive one, should be in the £300-£400 mark. Have fun

 

[Click4]

As others say, structural alterations require building regulations approval, and as you are doing other work covered by bldg. regs are you going to apply for approval by submitting an application ?

Yep have to submit applications, as I’m upgrading insulation on outside walls, and in loft, will also insulate party wall and rewiring need certificates for anything and everything come sale time.

 

[Click4]

Ah well that's a whole different kettle of fish. Only issue you're really facing is how much of the roof load and maybe ceiling loads are being carried by that stack- won't be a lot but will be more than nothing. SE job but not a massive one, should be in the £300-£400 mark. Have fun

Thanks will contact one, looking at it this afternoon, the roof load doesn’t appear to be carried too much by it but only an SE can I guess determine that or to what extent.

It’s a cut roof, and where the chimney goes through they have cut the rafters and bridged across them like is done when installing roof windows.

So hopefully not too much to alter structurally but at least I have a better idea now, so will need to get a structural engineer then add it to the list of notices lol.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Thanks will contact one, looking at it this afternoon, the roof load doesn’t appear to be carried too much by it but only an SE can I guess determine that or to what extent.

It’s a cut roof, and where the chimney goes through they have cut the rafters and bridged across them like is done when installing roof windows.

So hopefully not too much to alter structurally but at least I have a better idea now, so will need to get a structural engineer then add it to the list of notices lol.

Even better- I was assuming the ridge beam was bedded into the stack (couldn't see it in the pic)

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Curious: Why do you want to remove it?

 

[Click4]

Curious: Why do you want to remove it?

Kitchen is 1 side of the chimney and lounge / diner is other side of chimney, it’s presently stuck in the middle acting as a divider. Nice big room other side of chimney.

But problem is that the kitchen is so narrow it’s like a galley kitchen, can only fit appliances and units on 1 side of the room, very minimal storage. Feel it’s rediculously tiny.

If it say width of kitchen is around 1.5 wide it wouldn’t be far off and from what I can see as above it doesn’t appear to involve much structure.

Was mentioned about ridge beam being embedded in it, it doesn’t appear to be but could be wrong, seems to be similar to how you cut out trusses to install roof windows like velux, with a section cut out and the trusses braced across between them.

But will get a structural engineer to check it out.

In terms of why going to the trouble to do the change, that’s a complicated answer but boils down to because of the amount of other work required, from plumbing, heating, electrics, windows, insulation...new ceiling in lounge due to it not being flat because of prior water damage and lath and plaster... bathroom, kitchen... house will be practically pulled apart internally, and with the cost of everything else... it doesn’t seem like too much of an extra cost to pull a chimney to improve the kitchen size.

I’m not a property developer, it was purchased by my parents a very long time ago as a holiday bungalow, it’s only 2 bedroom... so not large, when me and my brother was younger, and over the years the house fell into an uninhabitable state... my parents were going to move there and do things bit by bit in retirement... but my dad passed away from leukaemia last year so it never happened and now the house is neither rentable or saleable for anywhere near it’s true value.

Some things I will need to engage trades like rendering the outside after insulation installed, fit boiler, need to do quite a few building notifications etc.

So not looking to cut corners by removing chimneys without structural engineer or notification if that’s what’s required. Just trying to get an idea of what needs to be done.

But since I initially posted this my uncle also passed away last week with no will or family of his own, with a few property in a similar state... went to one of them on weekend and ceiling is down because of a frozen pipe and a large cold water storage tank leaking it’s contents so our bungalow has had to be put on hold for a while longer... need to try and get his houses sorted and rented first now.

So While I’m not a propert developer going to end up as one for quite some time now